


Quiet

by victoridiaz



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Adam's got a few issues, Anathema & Newt (Mentioned), M/M, established relationship sorta, ineffable husbands is there but its mainly Adam centric, its his birthday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-30 23:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19414009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/victoridiaz/pseuds/victoridiaz
Summary: Adam doesn't want much on his 12th birthday. His friends, his dog, and perhaps a bit of lunch at Jasmine Cottage is just enough.Crowley and Aziraphale stop by Tadfield for a visit.Or rather, Crowley and Aziraphale try and make up for 12 years' lack of godfathering with a birthday gift. It's not much, but it'll do.





	Quiet

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't a very long fic, but one of my favourite arcs in Good Omens was Adam's, and how his outright denial of his "destiny" and whatnot really tied into the plot of Anathema learning to live without Agnes, and Aziraphale and Crowley defying Heaven and Hell's rules of love and friendship.

A year. That's how long it had been. 

It was supposed to be alright now. It was supposed to be normal again. 

The gentle Tadfield wind whistled through the air and came gently to rest on 4 children, sitting beneath a great oak tree in the woods. It ruffled its way through the tight curls of Pepper’s hair, the wispy strands of Wensleydale’s, the messy nest of Brian’s, and Adam’s soft curls. It picked up a leaf and let it float to the ground, and Dog, lounging lazily nearby, gave it a little prick of his ears. Leaves, as he had learned a little while ago, contrary to popular belief were not sentient and therefore Dog could not earn a reaction out of them. Still, there was always hope.

There was something special about today in Tadfield. It was Adam Young’s 12 birthday, which marked one year since the beginning of the end of the world. The world hadn’t ended, but for Adam, a small part of it had.

Adam’s parents never really understood what had happened last year. It felt strange, like a dream, or a memory they couldn’t quite put their finger on. Adam had certainly changed since then. Subtly, of course, he was still Adam, but he was softer, quieter, and more serious. His parents simply perceived this as the process of growing up. Adam was 12 today, after all. He wouldn’t be a boy for much longer.

The Them, if at all possible, had almost grown closer in the past year. They were less rowdy, and spent less time running about acting like children, but of course that was natural for growing kids, wasn’t it? They spent their days riding about the village on bikes and sitting in the woods, reading and talking. They had quite the imagination, the Them. Pepper’s parents sometimes laughed at the stories they overheard her telling, about great beasts and flaming swords and angels and demons. It was strange, really. But Pepper and her friends never laughed at them, or changed the plot halfway through, or dismissed them as some dumb creation. Of course, the Them had always been quite something.

They rarely talked about what had happened last year. Adam hardly understood it himself. He could feel his powers slipping away from him every day, but that was alright, really. He didn’t really want them anyway, apart from being able to perform the occasional magic trick for his friends, or to get himself out of a particularly sticky situation with the troublesome neighbours. Adam wasn’t _trying_ to forget the event, but he wasn’t trying to remember it, either. It made him uncomfortable. It had changed something in him, and he knew it, but he still wasn’t sure how to go about it yet. Even when he laughed with his friends, or was out having a good time with Dog, he couldn’t quite forget the thought that perhaps he wasn’t even human, that no matter how hard he tried, hell was still there, somewhere, down within him. 

The Tadfield wind moved on.

Brian told a joke and the Them laughed. They were getting quite peckish, as it was around lunchtime, but Adam didn’t want to head back to his own house for fear of party streamers and birthday balloons. His parents tended to make a fuss of things. He just wanted something simple on his birthday. Hanging around, his hands buried in Dog’s soft fur, and chatting with his friends about what they were going to do when they were older was just enough for him.

“Well, Pepper, you’re never going to be able to start that civil rights movement if you die of starvation.” Said Brian desperately. “Please, can we find _something_ to eat?”

“Brian’s right, I’m starving.” Moaned Wensleydale.

Pepper glared at them.

“Why don’t we go down to Anathema’s?” said Adam softly. “She said we could stop by this morning.” He scratched Dog behind the ear. The thought of the gentle vibes of the cottage and the absence of birthday fussing was a good one.

It was a lovely idea. They collected their various bikes, books, and sticks, Wensley picked a stray oak leaf out of his hair, and they headed down the hill and out the lane towards Jasmine Cottage. Anathema and Newt always made the best sandwiches, anyway.

A couple miles away, a vintage Bentley car was skidding down the road into Tadfield, doing 40 above the speed limit.

“You’re sure we’ve got the right road?” Said Aziraphale tensely, gripping the car seats.

“ ‘Course we do, how could I forget?” Replied Crowley, swerving to avoid a squirrel on the road. He only had one hand on the steering wheel.

Aziraphale stared out the window anxiously. “I do hope Adam is getting on well, and Mr. Pulsifer and Ms. Device, and all of them.”

“Yes, it’d be real funny if we pulled up and Armageddon had restarted itself for a round two, wouldn’t it?” said Crowley.

Aziraphale didn’t think it would be funny.

“Do you think he’ll be in?” Aziraphale didn’t have to say a name.

“Nah, he’ll be off in the woods somewhere with that gang of his. We can leave the present on the doorstep.”

“ _Crowley.”_

“Right, sorry.”

Aziraphale and Crowley had performed a few visits up to Tadfield in the last year. Crowley claimed it was to make sure that everything was still going smoothly, and Aziraphale wanted to make sure that Adam was getting on OK. In reality, Crowley had taken to enjoying the strange and obscure company of the Them, and Aziraphale loved to sit down for a good cup of tea with Anathema. Fascinating woman, he thought, learning about auras and all that. Anathema also tended to love books.

Crowley parked the Bentley in Hogback Lane and they wandered up to Adam’s front doorstep. Aziraphale rang the doorbell enthusiastically.

“Hello, Mr. Fell, Mr. Crowley.” Answered Deirdre Young, with significantly more gray hair than the last time Aziraphale had seen her.

“How do you do, Ms. Young.” Beamed Aziraphale. “Is Adam around?”

Deirdre smiled. “Why, he’s down in the woods with those friends of his. I’ll tell him you’re around if I see him.”

“Right, well, that settles that, wish him a happy birthday if you-”

“ _Crowley._ ”

“Alright, fine.” Muttered Crowley. The two set off towards Jasmine Cottage. It was tea time, and Aziraphale had a certain book on his mind that he couldn’t wait to recommend to Anathema.

Tires rolled across gravel and the sound of a bicycle bell rang through the air.  
“Brian, watch where you’re _going._ ” Hissed Pepper, swerving to avoid him.

“That’s what I’ve got a bell for. Besides, you’re not going fast enough, and I’m hungry.”

“I’m not going fast enough because this stupid _girl’s_ bike can’t _go_ fast. I keep telling my mother I want a proper bike, but-”

“Peddle harder then! And watch it, Wensley, or I’m going to-“

“Shut it.” Said Adam, stopping outside Jasmine Cottage. He squinted at two figures coming down the road.

“Look, it’s Mr. Crowley!” Said Wensley excitedly. The Them enjoyed seeing Crowley, he always had some wickedly cool gift for them.

“Hi.” Said Adam sheepishly as they got closer. He didn’t feel awkward around Crowley and Aziraphale, per se, he just felt strange. A part of him was trying so hard to forget everything, but they wouldn’t let him. Then again, he missed them sometimes. They were, after all, the only ones who had really understood what had happened. Adam would talk with Anathema sometimes, but even she didn’t really know what had gone on. He felt like Aziraphale and Crowley understood him, in a way that no one else did. One supernatural entity to another.

“Hello Adam. Happy birthday.” Said Aziraphale, beaming. Crowley flashed the kids a small smile.

“We were just going over to Anathema and Newt’s for lunch.” Said Brian matter-of-factly, in the tone of someone who wanted to get on with things. Pepper kicked him in the foot.

“Fancy that, so were we!” Said Aziraphale brightly. “Let’s all go in and catch up with each other!” He clapped his hands together and gave a nervous little wiggle. Too many people in one place sometimes made him a bit antsy, especially Adam. Aziraphale couldn’t _quite_ forget that he had attempted to kill him a year back. As an angel, the thought haunted him. He pushed it down and smiled. “Sounds lovely.”

Crowley made a sort of strangled noise in his throat. As they walked up the steps he lowered his sunglasses and winked at Brian, who winked back at him, poorly and obviously.

If there was one thing Crowley liked about the Them, it was that they weren’t bothered by his eyes. In fact, they deemed them absolutely normal. Crowley presumed they were just strange kids with wide imaginations, but each one of them understood. They were kids, after all.

The cottage smelled of coziness, herbs, and of course jasmine. Adam stepped inside and smiled. He always liked Anathema’s and Newt’s, it was the perfect amount of strange and wonderful.

Newt was flustered yet delighted to find a gang of hungry children, angel, and demon on his doorstep, but nonetheless he invited them in and fetched Anathema, who put on a kettle and prepared sandwiches.

“I’ve decided I think I’m going to be a computer engineer.” Said Wensleydale, mouth full of cheese and tuna.

“Is that so?” Said Newt nervously, smiling. Anathema grinned.

Outside, the wind playfully rustled with the vines and a few loose shingles re-settled themselves softly. The smells of tea and friendliness wafted from the windows of Jasmine Cottage and down the lane, as the clouds rolled over the noonday sun. A calm sort of hum trickled through the creek, crept across the flowers and floated through the cottage.

After a little while, during a break of silence, Adam said: “I think Dog wants to go out for a bit, I’m just going to take him.”

Adam wandered out the back door and into the garden. He sat down on one of the stones and put his chin in his hands, staring at a frog that was hopping across the grass. He sighed and brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes.

He heard someone come and sit gently down beside him. Adam didn’t look at them.

“Don’t like all the talking?” Crowley’s voice sounded.

“Mmm.” Adam muttered.

“It’s alright. Never really my thing, tea parties.”

“Normally they are. My thing.” Adam said after a pause. He tossed a pebble into the grass absentmindedly. “Just not today, really.”

They watched a cloud pass over the sun.

Crowley fiddled with the tie of fabric around his neck. Crowley, in a way, admired Adam. He had an incredible amount of strength and courage, really. Adam asked questions, he had gone through something no one should have had to go through, and yet here he was, a _human._ Adam had done something Crowley couldn’t, he had denied his entire destiny, his entire future. Crowley thought of Aziraphale.

Adam thought of Crowley. Crowley had been to Hell, hadn't he? Crowley would know, Crowley would understand the burning feeling in his soul, the feeling that Adam wanted to badly to be damn rid of. Like a song that he couldn't get out of his head, music that circled round and round until it drove him crazy, drums pounding and a melody line that was barely audible one day, and screaming a dramatic ballad the next. 

Quiet, that's all Adam wanted. 

“Crowley? Where’d you go, Mr. Pulsifer is about to-” A modest voice got closer as it stepped out into the garden. “Oh, hello.” Said Aziraphale softly. Crowley turned and gave him a look that was reserved for Aziraphale, and Aziraphale only.

“Hi, Mr. Fell.” Said Adam, tossing another pebble.

“You can call me Aziraphale, if you like.”

No answer.

“Let’s go for a walk.” Suggested Crowley.

They got up and walked in silence for a while. They wandered down to the Creekside, watching the water flow gently in a stream of silver down over the rocks. Sunlight filtered through the branches of a great old beech tree.

“Those sandwiches were nice.” Said Aziraphale, to himself more than anyone.

“Mm, yeah.” Muttered Adam. The water trickled onward. “Mr. F- Aziraphale?”

“Yes?”

“Are you really an angel?”

Aziraphale went quiet for a moment. He adjusted his jacket and turned down to look at Adam. “I am.” He said after some consideration.

“And Cr- Crowley, are you really a demon?”

“That depends.” Answered Crowley. Aziraphale gazed at him strangely. “In a literal sense, I suppose I am. Although I’m not really sure I’m- we’re- anything, anymore.”

Adam had a strange look on his face. “I don’t want to live forever or anything, like you two. I don’t want to have magic powers anymore. I’m trying to get rid of them. I just want to be a normal kid again.” Said Adam, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. Dog rubbed against his leg.

Round and round went the song, and Adam tried to choke it down, he latched onto the sound of the water over the rocks, the sound of the wind in the trees, the sound of Crowley's voice. 

“Then that’s all you have to be.” Said Crowley, quite suddenly for the slow pace of the conversation. “You don’t have to be anything, if you don’t want to be. It doesn’t matter what they say you can or can’t do. You are a normal kid, Adam. You can choose whoever you want to be.” Crowley looked into blue eyes, but they weren’t Adam’s.

“I know. It’s just- sometimes it’s really hard. To forget it, I mean. To pretend that everything is normal again.”

Aziraphale looked away from Crowley and down at Adam, who was staring at the ground. “Here.” He said softly, and pulled something from his jacket. “Here’s a little gift for your birthday. From Crowley and I.”

Aziraphale pressed the thing into Adam’s hands, who took it gently. He turned it over in his grasp. It was a small golden watch, comfortable and perfectly crafted to fit Adam’s wrist. Three hands ticked on, and in the center was engraved a tiny set of golden wings. He looked up at Aziraphale, who closed Adam’s hand and smiled.

“If you ever need help, real help, just press the little wings, with your thumb, firmly might I add, and we’ll come help you. Wherever you are.”

Adam didn’t say anything, but he put the watch in his pocket, and took Aziraphale’s hand. A moment later, he took Crowley’s with his other.

“You’ve got time, Adam.” Said Crowley, unnaturally gentle for the demon’s usual voice. “These things take time. Not forgetting, but just-” Crowley couldn’t finish his sentence. He looked at Aziraphale, then at Adam, then at no one in particular. “Healing.” He finished, almost inaudibly.

Both Adam and Aziraphale understood.

They stood under the tree for a while, and Adam let go of the angel’s hand. He fiddled with the watch in his pocket. “So you’ll help me? If I ever get into trouble with- with my powers?” He asked finally.

“Always.” Aziraphale smiled.

Adam shuffled his feet, and a warm feeling filled his chest that he hadn’t felt for a while. The walked back toward the cottage, the flowers turning and blooming gently at him as they strolled by. Noon-day light filtered down through the trees and dappled across his face. _Tick tick_ went the watch, silently, and the thought of it drowned out the sound of the song playing in his soul, which had reduced itself to a gentle tune. 

“Oh, can I… ask another question? Said Adam sheepishly.

“Hmm?”

“Have you really got- have you really got wings, or did I just imagine that?”

Crowley grinned. “Yup.” He said. “Great, big, annoying things, really. Get in the way all the time. Dreadful to keep groomed. You don’t want them.”

Adam contemplated this. “You’re right, I don’t.”

They wandered back into the cottage, welcomed by the sound of laughter and cheerfulness. The flowers in the window fluttered their petals softly in the wind, Newt was lost in conversation with Wensleydale, and Pepper flashed Adam a cheerful smile as he walked back in. Dog panted enthusiastically, he now had no problem with entering the cottage. After tea and many conversations about the latest news of peaceful Tadfield, Aziraphale and Crowley left back down the lane, hand in hand.

“Do you think he’ll be alright?” Said Aziraphale softly.

“He’ll be just fine, Angel.”

If you had been Crowley, and only Crowley, you would have seen the look on Aziraphale’s face, and you would have watched it all the way back to the car. They got in the Bentley, but it didn’t drive away for another 10 minutes.

After lunch, Pepper, Wensleydale, Brian, and Adam all looked on in their pockets and found the latest, high-tech, sleek design water pistols concealed beneath scraps of old paper and wrappers. Each one had a little snake on the handle, and as Adam looked at it, he smiled to himself. They went home soaking wet and high off laughter. Adam decided it had been a good day, and a little more of him felt at peace with the world. Dog was curled at the foot of his bed, every last trace of hell gone from his form, and the model spaceships circled in their usual patterns on the ceiling, oblivious to all. Adam put the watch on his bedside table, and watched the hands tick silently.

The silence of the room was pressing, and for once, Adam felt silent too. 

Tadfield, in all its reticent nature, hummed on.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr: 
> 
> www.undomielles.tumblr.com   
> www.eravee.tumblr.com (art)


End file.
